Clearest Indication
by Medie
Summary: Summer time in Metropolis, for Clark Kent that means a heatwave, a break up, and Chloe Sullivan showing up unannounced.


Title: Clearest Indication  
  
Author: M.  
  
Disclaimer: Don't own Smallville, Superman, Clark or Chloe.  
  
Spoilers: None - tis futurefic  
  
Summary: Summer time in Metropolis, for Clark Kent that means a heatwave, a break up, and Chloe Sullivan showing up unannounced.  
  
"Clearest Indication"  
  
by M.  
  
-------------  
  
Unlocking his door, Clark stepped into the cool, darkened apartment, leaving the heat and the uncomfortably still air behind.  
  
"Y'know, Clark, I really hope some weirdo doesn't try and take over the world today because it is *way* too hot out there for me to spend hours standing around trying to get the story."  
  
With a pint of Ben & Jerry's in hand, Chloe Sullivan emerged from the kitchen, clad in one of his old business shirts, and smiled around a spoonful of ice cream at him.  
  
"Chloe..." He said slowly, hanging up his suit jacket. "What are you doing here?"  
  
Dropping down into an overstuffed chair, Chloe draped one shapely leg over one of its arms and regarded him with amusement. "Hiding out from the worst heatwave to hit Metropolis in fifteen years, what else would I be doing here?" Holding out the ice cream, she smiled. "Want some?"  
  
Clark tugged his tie loose and tossed it on the coffee table. "I guess I should rephrase my question. What are you doing here in Metropolis?" Helping himself to a mouthful of the ice cream, he waited expectantly for an answer.  
  
Taking back the treat, she shrugged. "I finished an assignment for the magazine and decided a little downtime was in order."  
  
He looked at her knowingly. "You talked to Pete, didn't you?"  
  
Her cheeks colored and she dropped her gaze. "Maybe..."  
  
Clark rolled his eyes. "I'm *fine*, Chlo', you can tell everyone to stop worrying now."  
  
She smiled ruefully at him. "Sorry, can't. You might as well tell us to stop breathing. We're supposed to worry about you. It's our part in the crazy melodrama that is your life. You save the world and right all its wrongs, we worry about you while you're saving the world and righting wrongs."  
  
"Chloe, I broke up with my girlfriend, that hardly qualifies as either saving the world or righting a wrong." His tone dry, Clark took another spoonful of ice cream and ignored Chloe's indignant protest at having the spoon snatched away. "In fact, it's probably the most ordinary thing I've ever done, not exactly epic in proportion."  
  
Reclaiming the spoon, the pretty blonde poked him with one bare foot, giving him a tantalizing view of long, tanned oh-so-enticing leg. "Nice try, Clark, but I know my cousin – anything Lois does can easily qualify as being of epic proportions. Be it a byline or a break up."  
  
Sitting up, Chloe put the ice cream on the floor and met his gaze. "I know for a fact Lois is currently drowning her sorrows in a pint of Rocky Road and she reserves that for the big stuff." She looked at him sternly. "So, if she's that upset, you can't be any better. Come on, Clark, they may call you the man of steel but that doesn't mean you have to act like you're actually made out of the stuff."  
  
He exhaled heavily and got up, pulling off the glasses he wore and rubbing at the bridge of his nose. "Truth is, Chlo', I don't feel anything about it except tired. This has been a long time coming." He laughed wearily. "Doomed from the start you might say."  
  
"What happened?" Chloe asked gently, watching him move.  
  
"Same as always." He pointed at the edition of the Daily Planet which lay on the coffee table. "There was someone else."  
  
Picking up the newspaper, she looked at the picture of Superman which dominated the front page. "Lois is still on the 'biggest Superman fangirl in the world' kick?"  
  
"Yes," Clark grinned automatically then sighed. "It was us all over again." He sat down resting his forearms on his knees. "Practically every relationship I've ever had actually." He leaned back against the chair. "Something happens, I rush off to help and then lie about where I was. Lois....well, who would want to live with that? It wasn't fair of me to expect her to even try." He snuck a rueful look at her. "You'd think I would have learned my lesson from us, huh?"  
  
Chloe smiled sadly. "How could you? I never did." She nudged the ice cream toward him. "Besides, you disappearing wasn't the problem." Her smile turned bittersweet. "Doe-eyed homecoming queens were.'  
  
"Ouch." He took the ice cream and lifted out a heaping spoonful. "I deserved that."  
  
Laughing, she shook her head. "I didn't mean it that way, doof." Throwing a pillow at him, she tucked her legs against herself, resting a hand on one. "The whole super-powered alien thing...well, you know how I reacted. I thought it was cool." Her expression gentled. "Are you sure Lois wouldn't react the same way?"  
  
"No." Clark pushed the spoonful into his mouth. "That's the problem. I'm not sure of anything anymore." He shook his head. "I don't think I ever was when Lois was concerned. Not unless you count her opinion of Superman for anything."  
  
Chloe smiled gently, leaning over to hug him. "Being a superhero can really suck, huh?" She rested her forehead against his for a moment before pulling back.  
  
The absurdity of her words took a moment to sink in but when they did, he laughed faintly. "My life is beyond surreal."  
  
"I can't imagine why." His friend teased, settling back. "Just because you're the only survivor of an alien race who came to earth in a meteor shower, was raised on a farm in Kansas, and developed superpowers which you now use to save the world. I mean, can you see anything surreal about that?"  
  
"Smartass." Clark accused affectionately as Chloe watched him with an impish light in her eyes.  
  
"When have I ever been anything but?" She shot back merrily, grinning.  
  
Getting up, she took the remnants of the ice cream back into the kitchen. "I'd suggest getting Chinese," she called back, "but every time I do, you insist..." turning from the refrigerator, she found the living room empty, "on getting the authentic stuff." Sighing, she shook her head and closed the refrigerator door.  
  
"He is *nuts*." She announced to the empty room. "Who flies to *China* in the middle of a heat wave just to get Chinese food? How's he going to pay for it?"  
  
With a shake of her head, Chloe returned to the living room area and dropped back down into her chair to wait, quite thoroughly amused at the idea of Superman delivering Chinese food.  
  
-----  
  
"Show off."  
  
Cape rustling behind him as he flew in through a window, Superman grinned at the waiting blonde. "Why?"  
  
Chloe cast an amused glance at the costume. "You flew to *China* for Chinese food and, in the costume no less? Ever hear of overkill...Cl..." She bit off her words with a grin. "Can you please change out of that suit? I feel ridiculous calling you by your name when you're dressed like that."  
  
Grin widening, he nodded and disappeared into the bedroom, returning moments later in street clothing. "Better?"  
  
"Much." Chloe opened a container and inhaled appreciatively. "Okay, there are definite benefits to having a friend who can fly."  
  
Leaning over to steal a bite, Clark winked at her. "You're forgetting the other abilities."  
  
She put down a box of noodles and stared at him, a bemused grin on her face. "Why Clark Jerome Kent, did our favorite farm boy just make a *sex* joke?" At his smirk, she shook her head. "Just what did Lois do to you?"  
  
He waggled his eyebrows meaningfully. "Strange and wickedly inventive things."  
  
Chloe rolled her eyes, feigning a shudder. "I did *not* need that mental image, thank you. That's at least another ten years of therapy bills right there."  
  
"If it's any consolation," Clark handed her a Pepsi, "Lois said the same thing when she found out you and I had..." He trailed off, not saying the word.  
  
She laughed, patting his cheek. "There's the Clark Kent we all know and love. The one that can't even say the word sex without getting embarrassed and blushing."  
  
"I am not blushing!" He protested feebly as her grin widened.  
  
"Oh yes, you definitely are." Bracing her hand on his chest, the short-statured blonde stretched up to kiss his cheek. "But don't worry, I think you're adorable when you blush. Irresistible, actually."  
  
Clark smiled broadly at her. "Always good to know."  
  
Settling down at the kitchen table with her plate, Chloe put her feet up on the other chair and opened the drink. "God, this stuff looks great." So focused on the food, she barely noticed when Clark picked up her feet and sat in the chair, depositing them in his lap.  
  
"Would you like to be alone with it?" he kidded, giving her a gentle poke.  
  
Chloe made a face at him, settling into a more comfortable position. "Very funny." She stole a noodle from his plate. "Thanks Clark, for getting this stuff." She smiled at him, "I really missed this."  
  
"What? China's too far away for regular delivery?" He teased, eyes twinkling at her.  
  
She poked him back. "You know what I mean, doof. I mean that I missed *this* – us, spending time together. Goofing off."  
  
"You didn't have to stay away for so long." He pointed out.  
  
Chloe dropped her gaze, "Maybe not," she allowed, fidgeting with her napkin. "But, it..." she shrugged, "it just didn't seem right once you and Lois got together. Having your ex-girlfriend around? Especially one who happened to be related to your current? It would have felt..."  
  
"Something like the whole thing with Lana...only worse?" Clark finished for her, his voice understanding.  
  
"Exactly." She responded, unfolding the napkin and putting it in her lap with slow, deliberate movements. "It was better for everybody that I stay away. Certainly less stressful, especially for you and Lois..."  
  
"Chloe, me and Lois...my feelings for you, they didn't end our relationship. I wouldn't let that happen, I wouldn't make you shoulder that kind of responsibility. Lois...she and I had our problems. Not the least of which is the fact Superman tends to run roughshod over the rest of my life and Lois Lane is not a woman who tolerates being kept waiting for long." Leaning over, he covered her hand with his. "Don't even think of blaming yourself."  
  
"I'm not." Chloe protested weakly as Clark gave her a knowing look much akin to the one she'd used on him. "Okay, so I might be, just a little bit. Lois and I, we talked and I know she knows I still have feelings for you and that had to be both...what? Clark? Why are you looking at me like that?"  
  
There was a long silence then Clark smiled cautiously. "Just...remembering."  
  
Chloe returned the smile. "You aren't the only one. For kids, we were a pretty good couple when we were together. Not as...melodramatically dysfunctional as some."  
  
He laughed. "Easily the most romantic description I've ever heard. Luckily for us, you haven't lost your dramatic flare for words."  
  
"Oh, funny!" Chloe threw a noodle at him but Clark foiled her assault by catching it in his mouth. "It's better than yours, Mr. Kirk-Award-Winner." She swung her legs down and got up to poke him in the chest. "I know full well who does the fancy writing for Lane and Kent." She grinned wickedly. "Lucky for you, such gifts run in the Lane women and that you hooked up with anoth...mmph!"  
  
Indignant, she quickly chewed the noodle Clark had poked into her mouth. "Not funny, Clark."  
  
He grinned unrepentantly. "You talk too much."  
  
"Excuse me?!" Eyes wide, she poked him again. "I do *not* talk too much!"  
  
"Fine, then you don't listen enough." Clark countered smoothly, grabbing her wrist and pulling her onto his lap. Before she could protest, he poked another noodle into her mouth. "So try some listening."  
  
Clearly too surprised to try arguing, Chloe merely chewed and swallowed, staring silently at him.  
  
He let his hand rest on her leg and held her gaze for a long moment, unwilling to break the silence that had fallen on them. Whatever it was, whatever had caused it, it held a feeling that things were swiftly moving beyond two old friend being silly and they were both acutely aware of it.  
  
Finally, he broke the silence, measuring his words with great care. "I've been doing a lot of thinking since Lois and I...and a lot of it didn't make much sense but a lot more of it did." he paused, looking down briefly. "Most of it was from back then, when we were together."  
  
"Clark..." Chloe began but was treated to another noodle. Deciding to let him talk, she settled in and remained quiet.  
  
"The thing with Lana...it was a part of the reason we never got to where we should have been but, I know a lot more of it was just me and..." Clark shook his head. "I really screwed up back then, Chlo', really. With my...with everything and especially with us." He hesitated before admitting, "It's something I've always regretted."  
  
Chloe laid a fingertip on his mouth, silencing him. "Clark? Stop with the monumental guilt trip. Just because you can lift a tractor with one hand doesn't mean you have to be the one who has to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders." She leaned forward and kissed him lightly before resting her forehead against his again. "We were kids, Clark, confused, mixed up, and mildly dysfunctional kids. If it hadn't been Lana and superpowers it would have been something or someone else. Something like football or someone like Whitney. Whatever...something would have done it."  
  
"Whitney?" Clark echoed with a faint grin. "Why Whitney?"  
  
She pulled back to grin wickedly at him. "Well, as you know, I have a horrible weakness for men in uniform or possibly just men in tights...just like football players and super heroes..."  
  
"Ha ha." He said dryly, his hand squeezing her leg playfully. "Very funny."  
  
Chloe laughed, shifting into a more comfortable position, straddling Clark's lap. "I thought so, pretty funny actually."  
  
"Except Whitney's not playing much football these days, so that's out." Clark grinned as she feigned a pout.  
  
"Oh, go ahead and ruin my fun." Chloe dropped her hands on his broad shoulders. "Well, some of it anyway."  
  
"Some?"  
  
She gave a little wriggle and a leer. "I'm sitting in Superman's lap in nothing but one of his shirts – do you have any idea how many women, and men for that matter, would love to be here?"  
  
He didn't want to, he really didn't. In fact, he tried to fight it but he couldn't and, despite his best efforts...  
  
Clark Kent blushed. Deeply.  
  
His friend's grin widened and, with great glee, Chloe twisted the knife still deeper. "Moreover, do you have any idea how many of them want to be here and know Superman very much enjoyed having them there?"  
  
Blush deepening, he pointed a finger at her. "You are bad. You were never this bad before. What happened to the sweet, innocent and naive Chloe I knew?"  
  
Chloe shifted position on his lap and stretched lazily. "She had a teeth-rattlingly good affair with a billionaire playboy."  
  
He frowned a little. "I didn't know you dated Lex."  
  
Sliding off his lap, she ran a hand through her hair, tousling it, and returned to her chair. "Who said it was Lex?"  
  
"You said..." Clark's confusion deepened as Chloe's amusement grew.  
  
"I said a billionaire playboy, I never specified which one," Poking around the boxes, she selected her next meal. "You were the one who inferred it was Lex. I said no such thing."  
  
"But..."  
  
Chloe leaned over to pop a noodle into his mouth, closing it with a sweet smile. "There are other billionaires in the United States, Clark." She pointed out, returning her feet to his lap. "And a few of them are even young enough to date." Her smile widened and took on a wicked edge. "Not to mention, in the case of the gentleman in question, *fantastic* lovers."   
  
Clearing his throat, Clark shifted uncomfortably and reached for his drink. "Uhh..yeah, don't think I needed to know that."  
  
She laughed. "What? You thought I've been celibate since the last time we were together?" When he fidgeted, uncomfortable with the subject matter, she reached out to pat his cheek playfully. "Sorry, but no." Her eyes danced with amusement. "And forget trying to convince me you have been. I know Lois too well to believe that for a hot second."  
  
Thoroughly scandalized, he gaped at her. "She didn't tell..."  
  
"Oh, god no! Lois was, at least when it came to you, the very soul of discretion. Going by what she would tell me, you two spent every night playing board games." Chloe waved a hand brushing off Clark's concerns. "She never said a thing about your sex life. Boring conversations really. I was hoping for some information for a comparison study - the mating rituals of the Kryptonian male and all that."  
  
Clark grinned wryly. "Cute."  
  
She smirked a little. "I thought so."  
  
"You always think so." He shot back affectionately.  
  
"And I'm always right, aren't I?" Chloe asked archly, earning a grin in response. "Now, be nice, Clark. Smile and nod." She pointed at him. "And don't forget to say I'm always right."  
  
Restraining his laughter, Clark nodded and dutifully said, "You're always right."  
  
"Thank you." Nodding firmly, she sat back and sipped her Pepsi.  
  
Moments later she snuck a glance at him and both started to laugh.  
  
"I missed you, Chlo'," Clark told her quietly when their laughter had faded. "You have no idea how much."  
  
"Yes, I do." She said, equally soft. "Oh god, yes I do."  
  
-----  
  
"I can't believe it's this hot this late at night." Leaning back against Clark, Chloe rested her head on his shoulder and lifted her wine glass to her lips. "This is Metropolis, it never gets this hot."  
  
"I know." Behind her, Clark tilted his head slightly, listening to the night. "This keeps up, Superman will have his hands full when the city goes crazy. It seems like the city's sanity's only hanging on by a thread as it is, if it gets any hotter..." He sighed. "Things will get a little complicated...but I'll handle it."  
  
A soft chuckle drew his attention to the woman in his arms and he shifted a little to see her face. "What?"  
  
"Nothing really..." She looked up at him with a smile. "I was just thinking how incredible this all is. Incredible and completely bizarre. It's so easy, sometimes, to forget there's another side to you. That there's a superhero lurking beneath the farm-fresh Smallville exterior. But then you go and do something or say something that's so completely and unmistakably *Superman* that it becomes impossible to forget."  
  
Sitting up, she turned to face him. "Who would have thought that a kid from Kansas who was afraid of heights would grow up to become..." Chloe paused, searching for just the right words, then simply said, "to become Superman."  
  
Uncomfortable with the subject, Clark started to turn his face away but Chloe's hand on his jaw stopped the movement. Bringing his gaze back to hers, she slowly leaned in to kiss him then softly murmured, "I can hardly believe it sometimes, but...I can't think of anyone better."  
  
When he didn't respond, she sat back and stared down into her wine, her teeth worrying at her lower lip. "I...umm...I just wanted you to know that."  
  
Still he said nothing, just watching her with an unreadable expression and the longer he remained quiet the greater Chloe's doubts became. Lifting the glass to her mouth, she took a slow sip, silently regretting having spoken.  
  
"Thank you."   
  
The words were so softly spoken Chloe wasn't sure for a moment whether or not she'd imagined them but when she looked at Clark, he was staring at her steadily, a ghost of a smile on his face. "Thank you." This time his voice was louder, stronger, and seeing his face told her the things she knew he could never put into words.  
  
He reaching for her then, taking her handing his and gently pulling her back to sit with him. She settled down, returning her head to its earlier place. After a moment she sighed and moved a little closer as Clark wrapped an arm loosely across her midsection.   
  
They were silent for a long time, enjoying the quiet of the evening and the night sky but, finally, in a tentative voice, Chloe spoke.  
  
"What are we doing here?"  
  
It took him a moment to realize she had and another moment to process her question. Though he had a pretty good idea what she was talking about, he still asked, "Doing where?"  
  
"Here? Us. What are we doing?" Not moving, Chloe seemed content to discuss things just as she was and he was just as content to do the same. "I mean, I came here to check up on you after the big break up but..."  
  
"But we've been behaving as if we were back in college and still dating?" Clark finished, sighing. "I know." He paused, giving himself a moment to think before adding, "Maybe we're just acting on something we already knew but hadn't admitted yet. Not even to ourselves."  
  
"Clark," Chloe looked up, her hair brushing against his neck. "Are we completely ignoring the fact you just broke up with my *cousin*?"  
  
He shook his head. "No, we aren't. And, for the record, your cousin and I just admitted things were over but, frankly, they have been for a long time. Chlo', what Lois and I had was a special thing to us both but..." Sighing, he unconsciously rubbed his palm up and down her side. "It just...deep down, we both knew it wasn't long term, it wasn't forever, but we tried to convince ourselves it was and we paid the price for it. You can't fool your heart, Chlo'."   
  
"And what does it want?" Chloe asked, her voice barely loud enough for his sensitive ears to hear.   
  
"I think..." Clark paused, swallowing nervously. "I think we both know the answer to that. The question is now...are we willing to try? Are we willing to risk *not* trying?" After a long moment, he finished with, "I think we both know the answer to that too."  
  
-------  
  
Waking up in Clark's bed the next morning, Chloe had a moment of panic, trying to recall just exactly how she got there and coming up empty. The last thing she could truly recall was sitting out on the fire escape with Clark but after that nothing.  
  
She sat up, pushing a hand through her sleep-tousled hair and blinking sleepily, trying to clear the fog from her.  
  
"Good morning." Entering the bedroom, Clark held out a cup of coffee which she grasped gratefully. "I was starting to think you'd never wake up."   
  
She smiled fuzzily at him. "What time is it? How did I get in here?"   
  
"8:30." Sitting on the bed, he smiled at her. "We fell asleep on the fire escape for a while but I moved us in here around two."  
  
"Ah." Lifting the mug to her lips, Chloe paused to inhale appreciatively before taking a long sip. "Mmm...coffee..."  
  
Grinning, Clark brushed her hair back from her face. "Some things never change."  
  
She smiled at him, enjoying the touch. "And some things do...for the better fortunately." She looked down at the mug for a long moment, fingertips tracing the pattern on the ceramic, then looked up at him. "I'm scared, Clark. This..." She laughed a little. "This shouldn't be scary, it's not like we haven't been here before, but it is and I am."  
  
"It's different now." He responded quietly, resting a hand on her knee. "We're different. Adults who know who we are and, hopefully, accept who we are. That makes us together different too."  
  
'I know." Chloe said with a nod, lifting the mug to her lips once more. She took her time, swallowing slowly. "Things have changed, I know that." She reached out with her free hand, covering his. "But maybe a little fear is a good thing. Maybe it clarifies things we weren't sure of before." She paused, looking up at the window, watching the morning sun filtering in through the glass, shining in a swath across the bedroom floor. "Maybe being scared gives us the clarity we need and could never reach before now."  
  
"And maybe all we'd've done, all we've had to go through, maybe everything...maybe we needed it." Lifting her hand to his mouth, Clark kissed her palm. "Maybe we needed it to understand just how important this chance really is...so we don't blow it this time. Who knows...if we did...maybe we wouldn't get another one."  
  
When Chloe didn't answer, Clark dropped her hand and looked away. "We don't have to rush into anything." He said quietly, almost mumbling. "I just.."  
  
"Clark..." Gently, the woman beside him reached out to take his hand again, the action bringing his unsure eyes back to her face. She smiled a little and continued, "We've been trying to figure this out for twenty years...I'd hardly call that rushing."   
  
He returned the smile then frowned in concern. "What about Lois?"  
  
Chloe's smile dimmed a little and she sat back, taking another contemplative sip of coffee. "I'll explain everything to Lois, Clark," she decided finally, "she and I...we have a complicated relationship but, in the end, she'll understand. "A wry chuckle punctuated her words. "If anything, she'll be the one telling us we should have seen it coming. You know Lois."  
  
"Be an expert in everything, unfamiliar with nothing." Clark agreed, quoting his partner. "The reporter's ultimate responsibility."   
  
"And her credo in life." The blonde nodded. "Expect a serious lecture for not figuring us out before now because you *will* be getting one."  
  
"Oh, and you won't?" He shot back with a laugh.   
  
"Uh uh." Chloe shook her head and threw back the covers, getting out of bed. "I've always known, on some level, what I wanted. You," she unceremoniously handed him the coffee cup before digging through his dresser drawers in a determined search for clothing, "are another story entirely. Me, Lana, Lois...you're one mixed up alien, Mr. Kent." Selecting a shirt, she pulled off the one she'd slept in and tossed it on the bed. "Thus, you are the one in need of a lecture. I require no such thing."   
  
Striding across the bedroom to the bathroom door, she turned back and pointed a finger at him. "Think you can take a quick trip to Paris? I am so in the mood for *real* croissants."  
  
"But..." Before Clark could protest, she blew a kiss in his direction then shut the door behind her. A second or so later, he heard the shower and Chloe's cheerful voice singing a Sheryl Crow song.  
  
Dumbfounded, he looked from the coffee cup to the closed door then back again, staring into the liquid at the bottom of the white ceramic cup.   
  
Finishing off the coffee in a quick swallow, he shrugged and went for the suit. If the superhero gig ever failed, he could probably make a killing in the delivery business with all the practice he was going to get.  
  
Besides, if Chloe wanted croissants from Paris then croissants from Paris she'd get. Throwing a grin in the direction of the bathroom, Superman flew off into the morning light.  
  
Finis 


End file.
